A Red Doberman and Her Binky
Just a few weeks ago we were lucky enough to welcome a new four legged member into our family, a Red Doberman. At a little more than a year and a half old, she is a beautiful red female Doberman. However, her looks are only one of the things that make her special. She is one of the most affectionate, mellow, sweet natured Dobies that you’ll ever meet. Everyone that gets to know her is immediately jealous that we share our home with such a great girl.
Because of her gentle nature, she has gotten along famously with our other 3 dogs. She and our Madde are especially fond of each other. What they say about opposites attracting evidently carries over to dog as well. Don’t get me wrong, Madde is our princess and we couldn’t love her more. On the other hand, she is definitely the boss and what she says, goes. She’s not always polite about it either. Despite this, the new Red girl and Madde play together like they were raised together. Their favorite toy is a terribly beat up old 4 legged squeaky toy who has lost 2 of its legs with the other two not far behind. They tug to a chorus of vicious sounding growls but it’s all just a game. If one happens to let go, the other is right there shoving the toy in their face like “C’mon we were just getting started!”
We noticed right away that she seemed to prefer soft, cuddly toys. This is something we no longer have many of at our house because of the other two Dobies. They think the reason we give them stuffed toys is to make stuffy murder scenes all over the house and back yard. In contrast, she is not a shredder at all. She would much rather take a soft floppy toy and bounce around like a bucking bronco, shaking the toy up as she goes. Then we noticed that’s not the only reason she likes soft, cuddly things. The first time I saw her do this I laughed so hard I nearly cried. It was bedtime and our 3 Dobes were settling into the king size mattress that they graciously let my husband and I share with them. We were trying to get comfortable but the bed kept giggling in one spot. Looking over, we see her with the corner of our comforter fluffed into a little mound in between her two front paws. At first I thought she was trying to shred the blanket just as the other two dogs would have been doing in the same situation. But no, there she was with the mound of comforter in her mouth sucking away on it while she kneaded the outside portion with her front paws! This went on almost every night as her way to fall asleep.
It didn’t stop there though. One evening I was relaxing on our Lazyboy with a light fleece blanket over my legs. Oftentimes one of the girls will climb onto the recliner to cuddle and she was acting like this was what she wanted to do. She got her front half on my lap but instead of hopping up the rest of the way she started pawing at my legs. I tried to coax her up to get comfortable with no luck. She just kept pawing at my legs like she wanted me to move so I started to scoot over. When I did this she leaned over, grabbed my blanket in her mouth and started dragging it off of me. Once she had gotten it down she gave me a look like, “Thanks! That’s all I wanted” and went on to do her bucking bronco routine shaking the blanket all over as she went. After it was sufficiently shook up to her liking, she plopped down in the middle of the living room and pulled a tuft up in the middle with her mouth. Sure enough she went to town, sucking away and kneading like a nursing puppy. We have now gifted this blanket to our Red girl and named it her "Binky”. Some people have children who carry a blanket and suck their thumbs. Evidently we’ve got the canine equivalent living at our house!
Underwear dog
Todays guest post is from a good friend of mine, who has one of the finest looking Dobes I have ever seen
The Underwear Wonder Dog
People tried to warn us, "Doberman's love things that smell like their owners". Of course they do. All dogs like things that smell like like their owners, don't they? Little did we know when sweet, tiny Madde came home with us that our laundry would never be safe again...
First off, I acknowledge that I'm not the worlds most fantastic housekeeper. This doesn't mean that we're terribly messy. Like most people we occasionally have clothes that don't find their way straight to the hamper. Not a big deal right? That's what we thought too. As is turns out, Madde's favorite thing in the whole world is socks. The dirtier and smellier they are, the more she loves them. It started when she was small. She would get ahold of one and, after a victory lap or two, start trying to see how many holes she could put in it. Annoying for sure but not dangerous. At least we live in Arizona and wear a lot of flip flops. As she got older, her habit switched from chewing to swallowing. The first time this happened it nearly scared me to death. I can't begin to tell you how frightening it is to wake up at 3am with your 4 month old puppy shaking uncontrolably and giving you a look that says "Somethings wrong, please make my belly stop hurting!". My thought was automatically, "Oh no, she ate a sock and it's stuck". I panicked of course and called her breeder and another friend who manages a veternary office. She was still drinking water and keeping it down so they advised me to give her some time to see if it passes.
Lucky for both of us after 5 hours of sitting and waiting, the whole time imagining the emergency surgery I was sure she was going to need, out came the sock! I have never been so happy to see a dog go to the bathroom. It was amazing that after it passed she was completely back to normal. I had no idea at the time that this was going to become a regular occurrence in our life with Madde.
After this first scare we started to be more cautious. Clothes didn't get left on the floor. If they didn't make it to the basket they were set up on a counter or a dresser. For any other dog this probably would have been fine. With Madde, not so much. The next scare came on Halloween night after attending a friends party. I had dressed up as a witch, complete with red fishnet stockings. Tired from a late evening, I undressed and set the costume up on our dresser. We finished locking up the house and returned to find Madde in the bedroom looking at us innocently with an odd little puff of red between her lips. My husband gasped as we both realized what we were witnessing. She had gotten a hold of my stockings and proceeded to gobble them up just like the famous spaghetti noodle scene out of Lady and the Tramp. He ran at her and before she could slurp down that last little bit of stocking he grabbed it and started pulling. It was like watching a clown show at the circus. He pulled and pulled and pulled until finally the end of the fishnet came out with a hack. As funny of a sight as it was to see, we both knew how lucky we were to have caught her in the act. There was no way she would have been able to pass something that size. We were so grateful for our good timing that evening.
As she's grown, Madde's tastes have expanded to anything underwear related. Now a days we have switched to a covered hamper which stays behind a closed closet door.
She has stolen from every imaginable place, laundry baskets, counters, sinks, closets, bags, backpacks. She has even stolen from the covered clothes hamper. Not by flipping open the lid like you might think, but by sniffing out the desired item then nibbling and pulling it out through the holes. I think she's singlehandedly keeping Hanes in business at this point. We do our best to keep things out of reach but when you have a Dobie you come to the conclusion that most of the time they can outsmart you... Especially if it's something they want badly enough!
Denise and Madde
Training Online
Many people ask us all the time about some training resources, and our forum is one great place to start, we also have phone and email which many people have taken advantage of, and now we have partnered with a friend of mine that I used to train with (I have trusted him even with my own dogs in the past) who offers some online training courses many of you may find very helpful. His courses are much cheaper than private lessons, and you will see some good results. Try it out and see what you think!
Online training Now!Kennel Update
Well it has been a while since we have posted, it seems like time has flown right by! It is already triple digits here in Phoenix and slowing down our training goals. Elsewhere in the world people are seeing spring and it will roll right into summer. We have kept very busy here at the kennel but wanted to pause and Share exciting news about our newest litter. Escada Vom Excalibur was bred in Germany to Casa di oro Gregory to create a very special litter with high drive, steady nerve, correct structure and great health traits. This is a pedigree not often found in America and we are thrilled to be bringing it to America. So thrilled we are keeping a pup for ourselves to become part of our program in the future. She had seven beautiful puppies a mix of reds and blacks, and we are thrilled with their quality. Escada thankfully is a careful and caring mother and we expect big things from this litter.
We are also excited that Ramon and Questo Betelges just earned their ZTP rated V1A (in Europe) which of course we knew would happen, but makes us all the more excited that we have bred to these outstanding males.
Red Doberman puppy for sale
It's been an exciting and busy time at Family Dobes kennel your stop for the best Doberman Puppy for Sale anywhere in the United States. We have some beautiful Doberman puppies from Farra that were sired by Ramon Betelges some of the only puppies from Ramon in America! If you want a high quality Doberman puppy for sale, why not have one of the best? Farra is a Balkan Sieger show winner and has been an exception family companion. The Doberman puppy for sale you would choose from her would be either a Red European Male Doberman puppy for sale or a Red Female European Doberman puppy for sale. Either way you are sure to be satisfied since all of our Doberman puppies for sale come with a health and temperament Guarantee. It is important when you get a European Doberman puppy for sale that you deal with someone who will be there for you throughout the process, and really stand behind your Doberman Puppy. I have seen so many people be taken advantage of when they buy a Doberman puppy for sale and do not receive what they thought they had paid for. We want your experience to be positive with your Doberman puppy for sale and that is why we stand behind them with more than just words. We can help you with advice on health, training and behavior as well as many other things you will experience with your Doberman puppy for sale.
We also still have some great young trained Doberman Pinschers available right now and have some great prospects for fully trained Doberman Pinschers for sale. A Fully trained Doberman will have on and off leash obedience as well as specialized protection training. If you have unique circumstances let us custom train a Great Doberman for you so that you can feel safe and secure the way you deserve to!
We also have one other very special litter coming in April that we are keeping kind of quiet, but if you are looking for an outstanding sport dog for Schutzhund, mondio ring, French ring, or other dog sport, or if you simply need the finest Protective companion available, this is a well titled, well health tested set of parents to bring you the very best Black Doberman puppy for sale anywhere. This bloodline is not currently available in the states, so this represents a rare opportunity indeed! Are you interested in a sneak peek? Email us for details.
Here you can find some other great resources for your Doberman puppy for sale
http://www.bestdoberman.com
http://www.bestdobermans.com
http://www.dobermanplace.com
http://www.dobermansource.com
http://www.dobermanstore.com
http://www.dobetalk.com
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http://www.familydoberman.com
http://www.thedobermanplace.com
http://blog.bestdoberman.com
http://blog.bestdobermans.com
http://blog.dobermanplace.com
http://blog.dobermansource.com
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http://blog.familydobes
http://dobermanpuppies.blogharbor.com
http://familydobes.wordpress.com/
Doberman Endurance training
Many people don't know what an AD title is, or much = less why I would want to pursue them, so I thought I would give a brief tutorial. = In the Sport of Schutzhund<= /a> AD is the title given for Endurance. It is abbreviated from Ausdauerpr=FCfung which means Endurance exam. In this exam the dog must travel 20 km (about 12.5 = miles) in under two hours including any rest breaks. There are a few Vet = checkups throughout as well to make sure the dog is doing fine. The handler = normally rides a bike with the dog on the right side, but may trial two dogs at = once with one on the left and one on the right. Crazy people have even been = known to run the AD exam! Not me! Any dog wishing to participate in Koreung tests = which are breed surveys, must have passed the AD. Training for the AD is in my opinion more rewarding than the actual title, as it gives you and your = dog so much time together during training without obedience, compulsion, = mistakes and frustrated nerves. It is time when I sit and talk with the dog, and = encourage them to keep going, and we see a lot of country. I have been training = with 4 different dogs = right now to make sure I will have at least two ready for the test. I have a = little different setup than most people as I will be using a recumbent Trike. = This way I can pack squirt bottles to keep them cool, water and dishes for both = of us, medical kit etc. It is also much more comfortable for me! So here is a = picture of our gang during practice
Steve = Parsons
480-993-9797
Dobermans, which is better American or import?
American vs. European Dobermans
It is time I weigh in on the debate since it is the question I get asked nearly every day in phone calls and emails. Everyone wants to know which is better American bred Dobermans or European Dobermans. By American bred I don’t necessarily ,mean dogs just born in America, I mean dogs bred to the AKC standard, or dogs in America not bred to any standard. Nice of me to lump them into that category huh? European Dobermans to me are dogs bred to the FCI or international standard or their direct descendents as long as they continue to be bred to the FCI standard. It seems funny to me that we call them European since the FCI standard is used even in central and Southern America. But the first thing is to understand that there is a difference between the two standards.
The second thing to understand is that it doesn’t make one better than another, it creates preference. It does mean that one group will be suited more to what you are after than another group. Contrary to what most people think about me, it does not mean that I don’t like American Bred dogs. In fact two of the people that dislike me the most have the most amazing American bred Dobermans I have ever seen. I can appreciate their beauty and their closeness to their standard, the same way I can appreciate the beauty and grace of Arabian horses while still preferring Quarter horses. I like to train Quarter horses, I like to ride them, rope off them, cut with them, I like to be with them. It is the same with Doberman Pinschers. The Arabian horse wins most every endurance event, that is what they were created for. They are graceful, efficient and correct in their movement, but a quarter horse is like the American muscle car, it is just raw power waiting to explode. So is this about Cars, or horses or Doberman Pinschers? It is about Doberman Pinschers of course!
The point I am trying to make is that the American Doberman was bred by fanciers and breeders to evolve into a different type of dog in type, structure and temperament than the original Doberman from Apolda Germany was. What most people fail to understand is that the “European Doberman” or those bred to the FCI standard also evolved to a different form than the original Herr Doberman dog. Today’s European type Doberman Pinscher is larger and more heavily boned than it’s ancestors. It’s temperament is still adequate for “Work” (by this we mean dog sports, personal protection, Police work, Search and rescue, etc.) but it is considerably less “sharp” than its predecessor. I don’t think I would have liked the original Doberman Pinscher very much, they were small compact muscle bound dogs with very sharp temperaments, fiercely loyal to their owners but wary of anyone else. Many judges and handlers were bit at shows and otherwise by these “Devil dogs” as they came to be known by the US military when they were pressed into service with the Marine corps. They provided a more than valuable service to our country and our soldiers, and they were perfectly suited for their job. They saved lives, they protected lives, but they were loyal to their handlers alone for the most part. The European Doberman Pinscher of today is still very protective and loyal, but much less suspicious. The American bred Doberman on the other hand as a generalization (naturally there are exceptions) has had the working temperament bred out of them, as a “job” was not part of their standard. In Germany the dogs were not allowed to be bred unless the dog met the breed standard of conformation, passed hip examinations, passed a temperament test, and at least one parent had to have a working title such as a schutzhund title.
This is why the working traits have been preserved. Now there is also indiscriminant breeding going on over in Europe and elsewhere but the dog remains fundamentally different. In America I see two basic groups of Dobermans evolving in the last 100 years. The first group is the result of the Dobermans incredible popularity in the early 70’s when they were literally mass produced. The AKC did not have any breeding regulations, nor does it today with regards to health, temperament or structure. They have a standard that constantly gets revised but it is voluntary to adhere to. This first group of people are the group I call backyard breeders. Not because the dogs are actually bred in the back yard as I like to joust with so many people that pass out that label, but because they don’t have a clear goal and standard in mind in their breeding program. Their motive is only to produce puppies. These are different than the group I label as puppy millers. Puppy mills to me are people who on a large scale produce puppies with only a profit motive, no standard to breed to or clear program goals, and most importantly the condition the dogs and puppies are kept in. This one point gets me in more arguments than any other. But between the Back yard Breeders (often abbreviated byb’s) and the puppy millers often abbreviated (pm’s) they ruined what the Doberman was as well as what it became. They produced dogs that now range from 45 pounds on up to over 120 I hear people boast from time to time, and there is not a set of traits that really identifies them as a group other than their coloring and the fact that they are registered as Doberman Pinschers. There is too much variability in the group and fails the fundamental definition of a breed which is that “parents produce like offspring.” There is now so much variability in structure, temperament, marking and even color that I would not call the offspring “Like” meaning the same as the parents. There was another group in America that was breeding dogs with a goal in mind, they are the show people. They were breeding dogs for the conformation ring. Now I will say something here that likely will offend many people, but it doesn’t make it any less true. The goal was the structure alone of the dog, temperament was not fussed about, nor were health traits. I know there have been some big changes in the last few years with very good health testing, but one of the most talked about and bred to studs not long ago also had a history of very bad temperament, but he was gorgeous so they kept breeding him. One of my favorite kennels despite their lack of appreciation for me 
src="http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif"> had wobblers in their lines and now the whole line has been retired in favor of healthier lines now that health testing and genealogy has become more important.
The American Doberman Pinscher is a beautiful dog and I can appreciate their elegance and grace. In my opinion they lack the structure and power to do their original job. The Doberman Pinscher was the only breed of dog ever bred specifically for personal protection. There are many breeds that do this job well, but they were bred as multi-purpose dogs. The Doberman was created by Herr Doberman specifically to be a companion and guard to it’s owner. I have not met any American Champion Dobermans that could adequately perform this job and if someone has one please bring it over and shut me up as I put on the bite suit. This to me is why I prefer the European Bred Doberman Pinscher. They still can do the original job they were bred for. I love the story of how the Doberman came to our nations aid in time of war not many years ago, but if the same call came out today for Doberman Pinschers to be war dogs, the ones America could send would be predominantly European dogs. The AKC champions would fail us, the Back yard Bred dogs would fail us, and the puppy mill dogs would fail us. I now understand very clearly what it takes for a dog to actually do this kind of work, and so much of it is bred in to them.
Let’s be specific about some generalizations in the breed standard. American bred Doberman Pinschers are typically smaller over all, they are shorter at the withers and lighter than the European Doberman. They are also finer boned. Those physical traits make them less suited for working dog sports that I enjoy. If they were slightly smaller and still had adequate bone they may make better ring-sport dogs than the standard European Doberman. Very few Dobermans do well in French ring primarily because of the palisade wall they must scale and jump off. The typical Doberman is too heavy to jump 7 to 9 feet with all his weight on his front end and not sustain injury. The American bred Doberman lacks the drive and temperament and is too fine boned also for this task.
Although health testing occurs with most reputable American Doberman Breeders now, it wasn’t always the case and in my opinion we see higher frequency of many maladies, and some others that typically do not show up in the European dog.
So which dog is better American or European? You can see now it comes down to what you want the dog for. They both can make great family pets, which is what the majority of people getting Doberman puppies are interested in. Generally the European Type Doberman Pinscher is going to be better suited for working dog sports, but an American bred dog can still do great with obedience, agility, flyball etc. Some even track well despite their lack of selection for it. I did Search and Rescue with American bred Doberman Pinschers, one was a grandson of my favorite show kennel. But doing SAR with my European Dobermans has been much more rewarding and easier to train. I used to pheasant hunt with my American bred Doberman Pinschers back in 1998 but I have no doubt whatsoever that Ruby and Athena today would hunt faster with more desire, drive and stamina. But I never did have a good protection dog from American lines. I had some that learned the job, but none were as powerful or as driven for the work, and if I found dogs that were, they were not as stable in my house with children.
Both the American bred Doberman and the European Doberman are good dogs for their intended purposes, it really does come down to preference. You even have some people crossing the two which although not my goal, since the gene pool is very shallow anyway, it may save the genetic health of the breed in the long run.
Naturally my preference is and remains the European Doberman Pinscher because of the jobs I do with them. I prefer the health, temperament, size, structure and working ability of a European Doberman that is why I have them, and that is why I breed them to share with other people.
